Marvel's Greatest Loss
by Roy Radeka
Summary: A short story idea that I put together. I hope you enjoy it.


**Marvel's Greatest Loss**

Written by

Roy Radeka

(unedited draft)

Frank Castle, A.K.A. The Punisher, stands atop a roof. An open sniper rifle case sits next to him, along with a duffel bag full of weapons and a police band radio occasionally responding. Holding the sniper rifle in hand, Frank watches for movement in a nearby apartment complex window across the way. Frank brings the rifle into firing position when he finally sees his target moving around with in the apartment. Looking down the scope of the rifle, he waits for a clear shot. "There you are." He says to himself. As Frank's target is positioned perfectly in his scope, he prepares to fire.

"All units, all units. We need emergency vehicles to respond to 9143 Oriole Way immediately. Repeat all units we need emergency vehicles to respond to 9143 Oriole Way immediately!" A voice comes over the police radio. His target in sight, a split second from pulling the trigger, Frank recognizes the address from the radio and stops. Finding the information from the radio more important, he packs up his equipment and begins to leave. As he walks, "It's your luck day (name)." he says.

* * *

A couple hours later, Matt Murdock sits next to his client in a courtroom listening to the prosecuting attorney ramble on. This hearing has not been going well for him and he hasn't been on the judge's good side. As the proceedings continue, Matt's assistant quietly enters from the back of the courtroom, approaches Matt and sits directly behind him on the other side of the banister. The assistant quietly taps Matt on the shoulder, leans in and begins to whisper information to Matt, so not to disturb the courtroom. "Are you sure?" Matt asks. "Yes sir." Replies the assistant. Matt pauses for a moment to take in the information and then stands up to address the courtroom. "Excuse me your honor." Matt says as he interrupts the courtroom proceedings and everyone's attention is directed towards him. "Some urgent information has been brought to my attention and I would like to request that this hearing be postponed to a later date." Displeased with the interruption and the absurd request, the judge bellows out "Mr. Murdock, what is so important that would cause you to interrupt my courtroom and make such a ridiculous request. Not to mention the fact that this hearing is not going well for your client, and I have been very displeased with your actions today." "Permission to approach the bench your Honor." Matt requests. The judge signals Matt with a motion of his forefinger. Both Matt and the prosecuting attorney approach the judge. Matt quietly informs the judge of the information that was relayed to him so the rest of the courtroom cannot hear. A moment later, the judge picks up his gavel and announces to the courtroom "This hearing is adjourned until a later date." and slams down the gavel.

* * *

The skyscrapers create a beautiful horizon for the city. A light begins to appear above one of the buildings. A closer look and it is not a light, but a flame. A flame that creates a large number four with a circle around it above the building. A distress call for the members of the Fantastic Four. Shortly later, Reed Richards meets his wife Sue, who is accompanied by Ben Grimm, in one of the hallways of the Baxter Building. "Sue, what's going on? Where's Johnny?" Reed asks his wife. "We don't know. We were hoping you might." She says. "One of the security guards says he thinks he saw Johnny in the recreation room." Ben replies. The three of them head down the hallway towards the rec. room. Moments later, as they enter the room, they see Johnny sitting on the couch. Leaning forward, Johnny sits with his elbows on his knees and his face buried in his hands. "Johnny, what's going on? Why did you signal everyone?" Reed worriedly asks. Johnny just looks up at them. A strong look of depression in his face and tears flowing from his eyes. "Johnny, what's wrong?" Sue asks with more concern.

* * *

The Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, also known as the home of the X-Men. Charles Xavier sits at his desk in his office going over some papers. The phone on the desk begins to ring. Charles lets the phone ring a few times, making notes on the papers in front of him, before answering it. "Charles Xavier." He announces himself after picking up the receiver. "Hello Charles." A voice comes over the phone. A little surprised to hear the voice on the other end, "Eric, your one of the last people I would expect to get a call from." Charles says to Magneto. "And I'm surprised that you didn't know it was me, Charles." Magneto says. "Eric, you know I don't use my powers intentionally to peer into other peoples minds." Charles says. "Yes Charles, I know. What a shame." Magneto says. "What do you want Eric?" Charles asks. "I'm calling with grave news Charles." Magneto informs him. "What might that be Eric?" Charles asks. As Charles listens to what Magneto has to say, a look of shock starts to appear on his face. Using his powers, Charles finds that what Magneto has told him is true. "Thank… Thank you for calling me Eric. I didn't know." Charles says and hangs up the phone. Charles sits and thinks a moment about what Magneto said. He closes his eyes and sends out a telepathic message. "All X-Men, please return to the mansion immediately."

Elsewhere, Jean Grey sits in the co-pilot seat of the Blackbird. "Did you get that Jean?" The pilot asks her after hearing Charles Xavier's message. "I did." She says. "We just barely left the mansion. Why would the professor call us back?" The pilot asks. "I don't know, but whatever it is, I'm sure it's important to bring us back from our mission." She says. "Let me see if I can find out what's going on." Jean closes her eyes and makes a telepathic connection with Charles Xavier to find out why he called them. A few moments later, her eyes shoot open and a shocked look on her face. "We have to go back!" Jean says with a distraught voice.

* * *

Nick Fury is in the main command center of the S.H.E.I.L.D. heli-carrier looking out the large window at the city below. S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers are going about their normal routine behind him. One of Fury's top officers enters the control room and quickly rushes to his side. "Sir, this just came in from the Avengers Mansion." Short of breath, the officer says and hands Fury a message. As Nick Fury reads the message, he quickly turns to the officer. "Is this information correct?" He asks. "Yes sir, I double checked it." The officer says. Fury looks at the message again for a moment and turns to address the officer. "I want all off duty personnel brought in immediately." Nick Fury tells the officer and then he walks away and leaves the command center, still holding the message in his hand.

* * *

A trail of destruction lay waste on the city streets. Asphalt turned over, cars flipped over and crushed. Light poles knocked down. Where there once were fire hydrants sitting, are now spouts of gushing water. The destruction turns left and right down the streets. The Incredible Hulk is at the front of the destruction and has seemed to have stopped. Not by the Avengers or by S.H.I.E.L.D., but from the sound of a voice coming from a television. He stands in front of a pawn shop staring at the many televisions in the display window. The words "Breaking News" is posted on all the screens and the Hulk stands and stares. The look of anger and rage that is normally seen on his face is replaced with sorrow. Something that is almost never seen. As he listens to the news broadcast, a tear begins to appear in his eye. As the tear begins to fall, a transformation within his body begins to change his physical appearance. Where the Incredible Hulk once stood, now stands the more fragile Bruce Banner. Bruce starts to walk away, pausing for a moment to take one last look at the monitors, and walks back down the destroyed streets.

* * *

Downtown New York City. The U.S. National bank has just been robbed by Dr. Otto Octavius, better known as Dr. Octopus. While attempting to leave the seen of the crime, Spider-Man has arrived and is attempting to stop Dr. Octopus from escaping. Spider-man shoots a web at one of Doc Ock's mechanical legs, securing it to the side walk to try and slow down his escape. "This doesn't concern you Spider-man" Dr. Octopus says and he starts throwing whatever he can find at Spider-man, while trying to free his mechanical leg from Spider-mans web. "Everything you do Doc concerns me and we can't have you running off with these peoples money." Spider-man says as he jumps back and forth to evade the debris Dr. Octopus is throwing at him. As Spider-man eludes the borage of debris being hurled at him, his cell phone rings. Spider-man pulls out the cell phone and see's that Mary-Jane is calling him on the caller ID. Still dodging the debris, Spider-man answers the phone. "Hey M.J., what's up?" He says, and hears Mary-Jane sobbing on the other end. "M.J., What's wrong?" he asks. Spider-man hears what M.J. has to say and his jumping around to avoid the debris from Dr. Octopus has come to a complete stop in the middle of the street from the information that she has given him. As he stands in the middle of the street, his arm slowly falls to his side and the cell phone drops from his hand.

By this time Dr. Octopus has managed to free his mechanical arm from Spider-man's webbing, and uses the freed arm to hurl a striking blow at his foe. Spider-man barley lifts a hand to grab and stop the mechanical arm, while the rest of his body remains motionless with his head hanging down. Dr. Octopus is annoyed by this and charges towards Spider-man to attack, but stops just short of him when he notices that he continues to remain motionless with no action to defend himself. Dr. Octopus stands in front of Spider-man yelling at him, "Stop toying with me Spider-man, and fight!". But Spider-man stands in front of him, slowly lifts his head, and without hesitation, he removes his mask. "Parker!" Dr. Octopus yells. But then he pauses as he sees the expression on Peter Parker's face. He is distant with extreme sadness on his face. His eyes are bloodshot and his cheeks are wet from the amount of tears coming from his eyes. His bottom lip and chin are slightly twitching. "Peter?" Dr. Octopus now questions. Peter Parker shifts his eyes to meet Otto's and he struggles to get the words out.

"St…St…Stan Lee died."

The expression on Otto's face changes to shock and sadness. His mechanical arms go limp and the two of them stand there for a moment looking at each other processing the information. Peter speaks first, "Go…..go home Dr." He says. "Yes…yes, I think your right Peter." Otto replies. And the two of them turn away from each other and begin to walk away. As Dr. Octopus walks away with his mechanical arms slightly dragging behind him, Spider-man thwips a web at Dr. Octopus, snatching the money bag that he is dragging along with one of his mechanical arms.

A few days later.

St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York. Hundreds of people have filled the cathedral, with thousands more outside on the streets and beyond. The normal hustle and bustle of people and cars crowded down the streets has silenced. People have come from all around to pay their respects.

Inside the cathedral, a man (undetermined who for this story) stands at a podium, and addresses the people. "Stanley Martin Lieber has departed us. But to us, he was Stan Lee and he was _our_ 'True Believer'. He was our friend (pictured seating)…..He was a husband and a father….to some of us he was a father figure (characters pictured). He has helped us in many ways. He helped to tell stories…and we wanted to hear them, because he would try to relate to us. He helped to teach us about responsibility (Peter Parker pictured). He showed us that you can stick up for your rights and say what needs to be said…He helped four fantastic people come together (F.F. pictured)….He even helped fight for our country with the men in the Red, White, and Blue. He would communicate with us after his stories. He was an inspiration to everyone. If he were with us now, he would tells us to move ever upward" The man finishes by quoting "Excelsior!"

The people in the cathedral repeat the quote "Excelsior!" and the word continues to echo from the people, out of the cathedral and continues down the streets and through the city.

"NUFF SAID"


End file.
